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The Freelance Manifesto

Learn the how’s and why’s of freelancing.A field guide for the modern Motion Designer.

Available for Kindle and in Paperback

The future is freelance. But that doesn't mean it'll be easy. If you're looking for greater independence while also gaining more control over your life and your financial future, this is an excellent roadmap for your journey.

About the Author

Prior to starting School of Motion, Joey Korenman was a successful Motion Designer with a freelance career that spanned more than a decade. Over the years he developed a methodical approach to freelancing that he has taught to hundreds of students all over the world.

All of that knowledge has been captured in The Freelance Manifesto. This book is not only a step-by-step guide to a being a successful freelance Motion Designer, but also a rallying cry for artists to recognize their own value and to take conscious control of their lives and careers.

Joey’s Clients Include:

About the Book

This book is written in two parts. The first section, The Freelance Manifesto, deals with the mental baggage that many artists carry around with them which can prevent them from having the career and life that they desire. Freelancing can seem scary if you’ve never done it, and there are many myths (and realities) that you should be aware of. This section is about finding your Why, and learning to deal with the fear you will encounter when you take the freelancing plunge.

The Freelancer’s Field Guide

The second part of the book, The Freelancer’s Field Guide, is a step-by-step instruction manual for finding and landing freelance clients. The tactics in this book are extremely detailed, ground-level strategies you can use to quickly build up a roster of potential clients and make effective first contact. If you’ve got a decent set of Motion Design skills and you follow the steps laid out in the Field Guide, you’ll be stunned at how quickly you’re getting booked.

This book is a call to action and a set of instructions for Motion Designers who are thinking of making the transition into freelance or who would like to level-up their freelance game.

What’s in the Book?

The Freelance Manifesto contains over 350 pages of guidance, tactics and tools for freelance Motion Designers. These are just a few of the topics covered in the book:

Freelance myths and facts

Do you make more money freelancing? Do you have more time freedom? What happens when there's no work? Get some honest and transparent answers.

How to price your services

What's your day rate? If you're unsure how much to charge for your services, it's covered in the book. Even better, you'll learn when and how to increase that rate.

How to manage the “hold” system

If you're working with studios and agencies, there's a good chance you'll be using the hold system. We'll show you how it works, and give you tips to make it work in your favor.

How to find potential clients anywhere in the world

You won't last long as a freelancer without clients. We'll show you step-by-step how to find the right ones. You'll be a networking ninja by the end of the book, with dozens of leads.

How to write the perfect first-email to a client

The scariest part of freelancing can be contacting potential clients. We'll make it easy for you with e-mail templates and examples that walk you through the perfect e-mail intro.

How to transition to remote freelancing

If you want to scale your freelance business and gain more time-freedom, you'll need to transition to remote freelancing. We'll explain why and how to do this with your clients.

Does this stuff work?

Students from all over the world have already applied the lessons in the book to their freelance careers. Here's what they have to say.

Within the first 3 months of following Joey's tips on getting booked I had a client ask what they needed to do to make sure I was available. That's a lot of power for a freelancer!

Kyle Martinez

I've been using Joey's lessons for over a year. In my first year of freelance, my goal was $100k in revenue. I was shy of that goal by about one project. This year using everything Joey teaches, if everything continues its course, I should reach that $100k in about 9 months. I'd probably be doing business out of a cardboard box if I hadn't learned everything I did from Joey.

Liam Clisham

When I started applying the tips Joey talked about, I found myself in conference rooms pitching my reel to new businesses. It was very surreal. It's almost scary how the things Joey predicts will happen ACTUALLY happen. If you drink the Kool-Aid, you won't regret it.

Devon Laird

I was going through a patch of weeks with no Bookings. I followed Joey's freelance advice to following up with past clients and it got me booked the very next day. Sometimes you need someone to help you with the obvious ways of the business.

Ivan Witteborg

I don't feel intimidated by the whole process anymore; in fact, I feel totally empowered. I've also doubled my day rate since 18 months ago and have been busier than ever. I have to pinch myself sometimes.

Dario Kham

I made $70K two years ago, but that increased to $124K last year after learning these tips only mid-year. I don't work any harder, but I work and bid a lot smarter in the second half of last year. I'm really excited to see where Joey's advice will take me this year and beyond. It's timeless advice that I'd needed for a long time.

Sara Wade

You know that old saying, "give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime". Well, these email tips have taught me how to fish! I'm now an ace at warm emails and re-activating older clients. I'm booked to the gills.

Jerry Nelson

Using Joey’s tips on how to make contact with potential clients was a game changer. I had been making it way harder than it needed to be, which was equivalent to writing cover letters and sending them to Santa Claus. The response rate I get now is at least 90% with much less effort.